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Credit: Riley Hodder/Automotive News
“Aerie” in Bloomfield Hills is the former home of the late Donald Petersen, who was chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Co. from 1985 to 1990.
At perhaps the highest elevation in Bloomfield Hills sits the 9,000-square-foot house that belonged to the late Donald Petersen, who was the chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Co. from 1985 to 1990.
The suburban Detroit estate, called “Aerie” or “eagles nest,” was celebrated by Petersen and his wife, Jo Anne, with numerous eagle decorations. Petersen died a year ago at the age of 97. His wife passed away 23 days later.
Now visitors to an estate sale, which starts today and runs through Sunday, can get a look at and even take home some Ford memorabilia among a long list of luxury items.
Credit: Ford Motor Co.
Donald Petersen was just the second person outside of the Ford family to steward the Dearborn-based automaker.
Most of the Ford memorabilia is in Petersen’s office above the garage. Items include a framed poster of a Mustang patrol car headlined “This Ford chases Porsches for a living,” as well as one of the 25 bolts salvaged from the original courtyard turntable at the Ford Design Center in Dearborn. Petersen also kept his Automotive Hall of Fame watercolor in his office as well as a vinyl record titled “Music to Sell Fords By.”
The sale will feature a mixed-media work of the Ford Taurus by Fritz Mayhew, former Ford chief design executive, displayed above one of the many fireplaces in the home.
Credit: Riley Hodder/Automotive News
A work by Fritz Mayhew, former Ford Motor Co. chief design executive, of the Ford Taurus hangs above one of the Petersen home’s mantels.
There are no cars for sale, nor is the house, which was recently sold.
AOM Estate Sales expects around 2,000 visitors.
Petersen, originally from Pipestone, Minn., joined Ford in 1949 after serving in the Marine Corps during World War II. His early career was in product planning, where he worked on the original Mustang, Ford LTD, Maverick and Lincoln Continental Mark III.
During his tenure, Ford saw a boost in profits and its share of the U.S. light-vehicle market rose to 22.3% in 1989 from 16.6% in 1981. He was CEO during the introduction of the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable.
Petersen was admired for his people-oriented business strategies, centered around encouraging a collaborative workplace.
Credit: Riley Hodder/Automotive News
A framed poster of a Ford Mustang police car says: “This Ford Chases Porsches For a Living.”
Ford, in a statement at the time of Petersen’s death, called him a “steadfast leader during an important part” of the automaker’s history.
“He insisted on teamwork and excellence in the name of customers and guided Ford through a period of revitalization and intense competition in the global auto industry,” the automaker said.
— Crain’s Detroit Business contributed to this report.
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